The eye is one of the best-studied neural systems, yet most of its data remains untapped. We build the computational tools and datasets to unlock it — from single synapses to population-scale disease patterns.
Prof. Dr. Philipp Berens
Philipp Berens is Director of the Hertie Institute for AI in Brain Health and Full Professor of Data Science at the University of Tübingen. He is Speaker of the Excellence Cluster "Machine Learning – New Perspectives for Science" and part of the core faculty of the Tübingen AI Center. His group develops machine learning and computational modeling approaches to advance our understanding of the eye in health and disease — from large-scale electron microscopy reconstructions and biophysical models of retinal circuits to interpretable algorithms for clinical decision-making in ophthalmology. A particular focus is on building open datasets and benchmarks that enable reproducible research, and on making ophthalmic AI useful in global health settings. His work has been recognized with a DFG Heisenberg Professorship, an ERC Starting Grant and the Bernstein Award of the German Ministry for Science and Education.
The eye is one of the best-studied neural systems, yet most of its data remains untapped. We build the computational tools and datasets to unlock it — from single synapses to population-scale disease patterns.
Present Positions And Title
Professor of Data Science, Director
Research Group
Email Address
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Career
| Period | Institution | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Since 2023 | Hertie Institute for AI in Brain Health, University of Tübingen | Director, Professor of Data Science |
| Since 2019 | Excellence Cluster “Machine Learning – New Perspectives for Science” | Speaker |
| 2018 - 2023 | Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen | Heisenberg-Professor |
| 2016 - 2018 | Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen | Group Leader |
| 2012 - 2016 | Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Tübingen | Postdoc |
| 2008 - 2012 | Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen & Baylor College of Medicine, Houston | PhD student |
Academic Education
| Year | Degree | Institution | Field of Study |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Habilitation | University of Tübingen | Biostatistics |
| 2013 | Dr. rer. nat. | IMPRS Neural and Behavioral Sciences, University of Tübingen | Computational Neuroscience |
| 2009 | B.A. | University of Tübingen | Philosophy |
| 2008 | Dipl. Inform. | University of Tübingen | Bioinformatics |